Table having a heating appliance

ABSTRACT

A table (1) comprises a table top (4), a heating appliance (3), and a heating appliance holder (2) holding the heating appliance (3). The heating appliance holder (2) comprises a holder main body (7) and a table top holder (8) for holding the table top (4), the table top holder (8) being spaced apart from the holder main body (7) by at least one gap (20).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a table that can be used outdoors andthat has a heating appliance.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

GB 2566042 discloses such a table wherein the table has a heatingappliance holder in the form of a container which holds a heatingappliance and the heating appliance holder extends below an underside ofthe table top. Legs of the table are attached to the underside of thetable top. Heat from the heating appliance may be conducted to the tabletop via the heating appliance holder which may damage the table top. Theheating appliance is controlled by an actuator underneath the table topwhich may be difficult to operate when a person is seated by the table.Also, people in wheelchairs may find it difficult to sit around thetable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a table having aheating appliance which can alleviate at least one of theabove-mentioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided atable comprising a table top, a heating appliance, and a heatingappliance holder holding the heating appliance, the heating applianceholder comprising a holder main body and a table top holder for holdingthe table top, the table top holder being spaced apart from the holdermain body by at least one gap.

By the heating appliance holder having the at least one gap, thisreduces heat being conducted to the table top from the heating appliancevia the heating appliance holder which can prevent the table top frombeing charred. The least one gap also reduces heat being conducted tothe table top holder. Air can flow through the at least one gap.

The at least one gap may be beneath the table top holder. The table topholder may extend at least partially around a perimeter of the heatingappliance holder. There may be a series of said gaps spaced at leastpartially around the perimeter of the heating appliance holder.

The table top may cantilever from the heating appliance holder. Thisenables people in wheelchairs to be able to position themselves aroundthe table. The table top may comprise at least two table top portions.The table top portions may be removable from the table top holder tosave storage space such as when the table is being transported. Thetable top holder may comprise at least one groove for holding the tabletop portions. The table top portions may cantilever from the at leastone groove. The groove may comprise an annular groove configured toextend around the heating appliance held by the heating applianceholder.

The heating appliance holder may include at least one leg.

The heating appliance may comprise a fire box with a fire box chamberand a chamber opening at a top of the fire box for placing inside thefire box combustible fuel, such as wood or charcoal, with which theheating appliance is used, and a fire door for closing the opening. Thefire door may have a window. The window may allow an attractive view offlames from combusting fuel to be seen. The table can be used to producea warm micro climate and visually pleasing ambience. The fire door maybe substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the table top whenthe fire door is in a closed position.

The fire box may have at least one side wall. The at least one side wallmay surround the fire box chamber.

The fire box chamber may have a combustible fuel holder which maycomprise a grate.

The heating appliance may include a first air inlet for supplying an airflow to the fire box chamber for combusting the combustible fuel.

The first air inlet may be on or through an underside of the fire box.The heating appliance may have a control valve for controlling thesupply of air through the first air inlet. The control valve may beadjacent or mounted on the underside of the fire box. The table mayinclude an actuator for actuating the control valve, wherein theactuator extends above the table top.

The first air inlet may be on or through a said side wall of the firebox. The table may include a second air inlet for supplying an air flowto the fire box chamber for combusting said combustible fuel, whereinthe second air inlet is on or through the side wall of the fire box. Thefirst air inlet may be above the combustible fuel holder and the secondair inlet may be below the combustible fuel holder. The heatingappliance may include a first control valve adjacent or mounted on saidside wall of the fire box for controlling the supply of air through thefirst and second air flow inlets. The table may include a first actuatorfor actuating the first control valve. The first actuator may extendabove the table top. The first actuator may be fixed to or form anintegral unit with the first control valve.

The table may include a third air inlet for supplying an air flow to thefire box chamber for combusting the combustible fuel wherein the thirdair inlet is on or through an underside of the fire box. The heatingappliance may have a second control valve for controlling the supply ofair through the third air inlet. The second control valve may beadjacent or mounted on the underside of the fire box. The table mayinclude a second actuator for actuating the second control valve. Thesecond actuator may extend above the table top. The second actuator maybe adjacent or mounted on the side wall of the fire box.

By at least one of the first and second actuators extending above thetable, a person seated by the table can easily control the heatingappliance.

The heating appliance may include a flue exhaust for emissions to exitfrom the fire box chamber.

The heating appliance may have a lower chamber beneath the fire boxchamber. The lower chamber may be connected by at least one air conduitto the fire box chamber. The third air inlet may enter the lowerchamber.

The holder main body may comprise at least one side wall which surroundsthe heating appliance and a base. The heating appliance may be receivedon said base. There may be a second gap between the heating applianceand the at least one side wall of the heating appliance holder. Thesecond gap may form an air gap or a heat insulation gap. The at leastone side wall may have at least one aperture.

The at least one air inlet may be configured to receive air via the atleast one wall aperture.

The heating appliance may be centrally positioned in the table top.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provideda table comprising a table top, a heating appliance, a heating applianceholder holding the heating appliance, the heating appliance holdercomprising a holder main body and a table top holder for holding thetable top, and the heating appliance comprising: a fire box with a firebox chamber and a chamber opening at a top of the fire box for placinginside the fire box combustible fuel with which the heating appliance isused, a fire door for closing the opening, an air inlet for supplying anair flow to the fire box chamber for combusting the combustible fuel, acontrol valve for controlling the supply of air through the air inlet,and an actuator for actuating the control valve wherein the actuatorextends above the table top.

The second aspect of the present invention may include any appropriatecombination of features of the first aspect of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper part of a holder of a heatingappliance of the table;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1wherein an upper part of a flue of the heating appliance of the table isomitted;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5,respectively, of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view of an underside of a part of the heating appliance; and

FIGS. 7 to 9 are views of a control valve and actuator of the heatingappliance in various positions.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, a table 1comprises a heating appliance holder or safety cage 2, a heatingappliance or stove or burner 3 held by the holder 2, and a rectangulartable top 4 which comprises a pair of table top portions 5, 6.

The heating appliance holder 2 comprises a holder main body 7 and atable top holder 8 for holding the table top 4.

The holder main body 7 is cuboid in shape and comprises two longitudinalside walls 9, two end walls 10 and a leg 11 at each corner wherein eachleg 11 extends below the walls 9, 10 and terminates with a wheel 12. Astrut 13 connects the legs 11 on either side of each end wall 10 and thestrut 13 is just below the end wall 10. An L-shaped rail 14 extendsbetween the legs 11 on each side of the longitudinal side wall 9 and hasan upright 15 and a flange 16. The back of the upright 15 of the rail 14is fixed to an inside surface of each of the legs 11. The bottom of eachlongitudinal side wall 9 has a return 17 which ends at the back of therail upright 15. The longitudinal side walls 9 and the end walls 10 havemany apertures 60.

The tops of the legs 11 and the longitudinal side walls 9 and end walls10 are connected to the underside of a rectangular sheet 18 whichextends outwardly beyond the walls 9, 10 and legs 11 and which formspart of the holder main body 7. On the opposite side of the sheet 18,the table top holder 8 in the form of a C-shaped member extends aroundthe perimeter of the sheet 18 wherein the C-shaped member forms anannular groove 19 which faces outwardly. The table top holder 8 isspaced apart from the sheet 18 beneath by a series of gaps 20 spacedalong the perimeter.

Each table top portion 5, 6 has a recess which enables an inside edge 21of the table top portion 5, 6 to be slotted into groove 19 so that thetable top portion 5, 6 is held by the groove 19 and cantilevers from thegroove 19. When the inside edge 21 of both table top portions 5, 6 arefully inserted into the groove 19 the table top portions 5, 6 form therectangular table top 4.

The sheet 18 has a substantially rectangular opening 22 to enable themain body 7 of the heating appliance holder 2 to receive the heatingappliance 3. The heating appliance 3 sits on the flanges 16 of the tworails 14 between the uprights 15, and a base of the holder main body 7comprises the rails 14. The heating appliance 3 is surrounded by thewalls 9, 10 of the heating appliance holder 2 and there is a gap 23between the walls 9, 10 of the heating appliance holder 2 and theheating appliance 3.

The heating appliance 3 comprises a fire box 24 having two longitudinalside walls 25, first and second end walls 26, 27 and a floor 28 whichdefine a chamber 29 of the fire box 24 wherein the walls 25, 26, 27define an opening 30 to the chamber 29 at the top. A fire door 31 ishinged to the top of the second end wall 27 and used to close thechamber opening 30. The fire door 31 has a handle 32 distal to thehinged connection 33 to the second end wall 27. The fire door 31 has awindow 34, and is substantially coplanar with an upper surface of thetable top 4 when the fire door 31 is in a closed position.

The two longitudinal side walls 25, and the first end wall 26 are cavitywalls. The heating appliance 3 has a lower chamber 35 beneath the floor28 of the fire box chamber 29 and the lower chamber 35 extends to thecavities 36 of the longitudinal side walls 25 and the first end wall 26.The cavities 36 are connected to openings or outlets 37 into the firebox chamber 29 in an upper portion of the longitudinal side walls 25 andthe first end wall 26.

A flue base 38 extends from an opening 39 in the second end wall 27 andthe flue base 38 initially bends through 90 degrees before it extendsupwards through an extension 40 to the sheet opening 22. A flueextension 41 extends upwards from the flue base 38 and the flueextension 41 and a portion of the flue base 38 which extends above thesheet 22 is surrounded by a cylindrical mesh 42. The flue base 38 andflue extension 41 form an exhaust for emissions to exit from the firebox chamber 29 and directs emissions or smoke away from people sittingaround the table 1.

A rack (not shown) may be attached to the flue extension 41 or thesurrounding mesh 42. The rack may have hooks from which, say, bowls andutensils can be hung.

The fire box chamber 29 has a grate 43 which is spaced above the floor28 of the fire box chamber 29. A first air inlet conduit 44 extends fromthe outside of the fire box 24, through the first end wall 26 and intothe fire box chamber 29 above the grate 43, and a second air inletconduit 45 extends from the outside of the fire box 24, through thefirst end wall 26 and into the fire box chamber 29 below the grate 43.Both the first and second air inlet conduits 44, 45 are rectangular inshape. The longitudinal sides of the first air inlet conduit 44 areinclined at an acute angle to the vertical towards a first pivotconnection 46 on the first end wall 26. The longitudinal sides of thesecond air inlet conduit 45 are parallel to the bottom of the fire box24 and the second air inlet conduit 45 is positioned below the first airinlet conduit 44 and is further away from the first pivot connection 46than the first air inlet conduit 44.

A first control valve 47 is mounted on the first pivot connection 46 onthe outside of the first end wall 26 and is shaped so that it can coveran entrance to just the first air inlet conduit 44 or both the first andsecond air inlet conduits 44, 45 or neither air inlet conduit dependingon which position the first control valve 47 is rotated to about thefirst pivot connection 46. The first control valve 47 is connected to afirst actuator or lever 48 which extends upwards through a first slot 49in the sheet 18 of the heating appliance holder 2. The first controlvalve 47 and first actuator 48 form an integral unit.

The underside of the heating appliance 3 has a plurality of radialopenings or inlets 50 extending into the lower chamber 34 through afloor 51 of the lower chamber 34. A second control valve 52 (see FIG. 6)in the form of a disc is rotatably mounted on the underside of theheating appliance 3 and has a plurality of radial openings 53 whichcorresponds to the radial openings 50 in the underside of the heatingappliance 3. The disc 52 is between the rails 14 of the heatingappliance holder 2. A rod 54 extends from the disc 52 and extends beyondthe bottom of the first end wall 26 of the fire box 24. A distal end ofthe rod 54 has an aperture 55.

A second actuator or lever 56 is mounted on a second pivot connection 57on the outside of the first end wall 26 and a pin 58 forms a bottom ofthe second actuator 56 which is received in the aperture 55 in thedistal end of the rod 54. The second actuator 56 extends upwards througha second slot 59 in the sheet 18 of the heating appliance holder 2.

In use, the fire door 31 of the heating appliance 3 is opened andcombustible solid fuel is placed on the grate 43 inside the fire boxchamber 29.

Where the combustible fuel is charcoal, the first actuator 48 may beused to ensure that the first control valve 47 does not cover theentrances to the first and second air inlet conduits 44, 45 (see FIG. 7)and the second actuator 56 may be used to ensure that the second controlvalve 52 has been rotated into a position so that it covers the heatingappliance radial openings 50. Air is received in the fire box chamber 29from outside the table 1 via the apertures 60 in the end wall 10 of theheating appliance holder 2 in front of the first end wall 26 of theheating appliance 3 and via the first and second air inlet conduits 44,45. The combustible solid fuel is ignited, and the first actuator 48 isused to rotate the first control valve 47 about the first pivotconnection 46 so that the first control valve 47 just covers theentrance to the first air inlet conduit 44 (see FIG. 8). The firstactuator 48 can then be used to rotate the first control valve 47 sothat it partially covers the entrance to the second air inlet conduit 45as well as fully covering the entrance to the first air inlet conduit 44in order to control the burning of the charcoal and the amount of heatproduced.

Where the combustible fuel is wood, the first actuator 48 is used torotate the first control valve 47 so that it covers the entrances toboth the first and second air inlet conduits 44, 45 (see FIG. 9) and thesecond actuator 56 is used to rotate the second control valve 52 so thatit can at least partially cover the heating appliance radial openings 50in order to control the burning of the wood and the amount of heatproduced.

In a specific example of a preferred embodiment, the gaps 20 between thetable top holder 8 and the sheet 18 below may be 2 mm in height. Thetable top portions 5, 6 may comprise wood.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be made without departing from the scopeof the claimed invention.

The heating appliance, the heating appliance holder and the table topmay have different shapes from that shown. For example, the heatingappliance may be a substantially cube shape, and the table top may besubstantially square.

At least one of the legs may not have a wheel. For example, each of thelegs may not have a wheel.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a tabletop formedby a first tabletop portion and a second tabletop portion, the secondtabletop portion separable from the first tabletop portion; a heatingappliance disposed between the first and second tabletop portions; and aholder for holding the tabletop around the heating appliance, the holdercomprising one or more grooves around an outside edge of the holder,wherein the first and second tabletop portions each comprise a pluralityof edges configured to slide into the one or more grooves to providecantilevered support to the first and second tabletop portions extendingtherefrom.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the heatingappliance extends at least partially below said tabletop.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating appliance comprises a fireboxcomprising a firebox chamber for receiving combustible fuel.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the heating appliance further comprises atleast two openings for supplying air to the fire box, wherein a firstopening is beneath a floor of the fire box and a second opening is abovethe floor of the fire box.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein air isprovided to the fire box by a substantially vertical air flow pathbetween the first and second openings.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the holder comprises at least one flange for supporting theheating appliance.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least oneflange is provided by a rail attached to the at least one leg of theholder.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating appliancefurther comprises a door for accessing a fire chamber of the appliance.9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the door comprises a window. 10.The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the door is positioned above thetabletop.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating appliancecomprises a control valve for controlling air flow to a chamber wherecombustible fuel is combusted.
 12. The apparatus if claim 11, furthercomprising an actuator for actuating the control valve, wherein theactuator is at least partially above the tabletop.